Science
Sanctuary Asia
Off-Roads And Off-Limits
Until a few years ago, the ecologically fragile lateritic plateau of Kaas, home to rare and endemic floral species, witnessed large scale damage due to uncontrolled tourism.
2 min |
June 2019
Sanctuary Asia
Monitoring Tigers Beyond Tiger Reserves
The slender, bony-white trunks of dhavda trees, standing out against their dark-barked neighbours, appeared unusually mottled.
4 min |
June 2019
Sanctuary Asia
Afloat Upon The Sound Of Silence
A Dreamy Journey Through Kerala’s Silent Valley
3 min |
March 2019
Sanctuary Asia
Pheasants of Bhutan
The iridescent breasts, feathered crests, colourful, velvety feathers, shimmering eyes – male pheasants entice not just the females, usually dressed in muted greys and browns, but also humans who have embarked on expeditions to capture them for the pot, fashion and now photography.
1 min |
October 2016
Sanctuary Asia
Butterflies... Masters Of Metamorphosis
Butterflies have always fascinated humankind. Among insects they are certainly among the most attractive – they come in so many beautiful shapes, colours and patterns. Their charm has made them very popular and they are well celebrated in arts and culture.
4 min |
May 2018
Sanctuary Asia
A Concern For Frogs And Toads
Toads and frogs begin their lives as tiny aquatic eggs, from which emerge tadpoles, which then metamorphose into adults. They play a big role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems. Also, it’s so much fun to watch them hop around!
1 min |
May 2018
Sanctuary Asia
Take Action
Maharashtra is the 18th Indian state to ban plastic. Way to go Maharashtra!
2 min |
May 2018
Sanctuary Asia
Earth Manners
Everyday habits matter! Let’s be kind to the planet, animals and ourselves!
2 min |
May 2018
Sanctuary Asia
Another Goa...
If you ask most people what they think Goa is famous for, the reply will probably be beach resorts, fish and feni. But I can show you a glimpse of a Goa that is green, chirpy and full of birds conducting their own musical concert.
2 min |
September 2018
Sanctuary Asia
Life Beyond 'The Research'!
I am no experienced researcher, nor am I a seasoned professional. I am at the most a passionate naturalist, attempting to perform a certain activity the scientific community tags as research. This is what I have learned...
3 min |
September 2018
Sanctuary Asia
New Seeds Of Hope For Nature
“What kind of far-sighted vision is needed to turn a devastated overgrazed landscape into a wildlife paradise?” I asked myself as I drove through the Van Vihar Wildlife Sanctuary, Dholpur. I tried to envisage what it would be like, or what it used to be like? Did it have the essentials to be restorable? How long would it take? What are the critical biodiversity ‘switches’, the key actions that are needed to transform a scrubland into a wilderness haven.
3 min |
June 2018
Sanctuary Asia
Arunachal Pradesh An Imperiled Haven
Most government officials consider a posting in Northeast India or the Andaman & Nicobar Islands a punishment on account of the remoteness and the lack of ‘amenities’. In my case these are the very reasons I treasure such postings. The five years I spent in Itanagar with the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), in the beautiful land of hornbills, were among the best of my life.
6 min |
June 2018
Sanctuary Asia
A Crocodile, A Deer And A Tiger
It was one of those fateful Tadoba mornings. As my jeep pulled up at the Telia Dam, a chital alarm call rang across from the opposite side of the lake.
1 min |
June 2018
Sanctuary Asia
Should Art Kill Its Muse?
Could art be cruel? Could it kill? The purpose of art, among others, is also the portrayal and appreciation of beauty. How can it then be self-defeating and exterminate the very forms of life that are its muse?
1 min |
June 2018
Sanctuary Asia
Birds Of A Feather
I had travelled all the way from Pune near the Western Ghats to the Northeastern state of Sikkim in the hope of sighting some of the rare and endemic birds for which this erstwhile monarchy is so justifiably famous.
1 min |
June 2018
Sanctuary Asia
Wildroots
In 2016, Assam-based organisation, WildRoots, launched a programme known as Art for Conservation (AFC) in rural and urban educational institutions in the state. A brainchild of Biswajit De, the programme aims to nurture a community of artists and empower aspiring conservation artists to become effective environmental ambassadors.
3 min |
June 2018
Sanctuary Asia
Daft National Forest Policy 2018?
On World Environment Day 2018 Lakshmy Raman and Bittu Sahgal ask that politicians, planners, activists and scientists join hands with long-suffering citizens to tackle the conjoined problems of biodiversity loss, climate change and the falling quality of human life on the subcontinent. With over 90 per cent of the accessible water available to over a billion humans being sourced from, fi ltered through, or fed by sources originating in natural ecosystems including wetlands and forests, the authors have chosen to focus on the most immediate threat to natural India by way of the poorly-drafted, irresponsibly-posited Draft National Forest Policy 2018 for India.
10+ min |
June 2018
sanctuary asia
wildlife affected by floods in northeast india
5 min |
september 2016
sanctuary asia
earth manners
everyday habits matter! let’s be kind to the planet, animals and ourselves!
3 min |
september 2016
Sanctuary Asia
The Heat Is On
The Heat Is On
2 min |
April 2018
Sanctuary Asia
Preservation Of Wild Landscapes
Preservation Of Wild Landscapes
1 min |
April 2018
Sanctuary Asia
Prof. Ratan Lal Brahmachary (1932-2018)
A brilliant man, pioneering scientist, and a beloved teacher, Prof. Ratan Lal Brahmachary was all that and much more. Dr. Silanjan Bhattacharyya writes about this great mind, who took him under his aegis and put him on the path of Nature and excellence.
4 min |
April 2018
Sanctuary Asia
Meet Sunil Mehta
A national-level basketball player and an alumnus of St. Stephens College, Delhi, this eco-entrepreneur started life as a pharmaceuticals promoter, exporter and as the Chief Coordinator for the Rajasthan State Government and the Rajasthan Association of North America (RANA). He now runs a real estate business that seeks to change the image of the sector by helping to improve the ecology of the geographies where his businesses are located. He met Bittu Sahgal at the Bamboo Forest Safari Lodge in Tadoba and spoke to him about how ensuring equitable justice to local communities could end up rewilding India.
7 min |
April 2018
Sanctuary Asia
Earth Manners
Everyday habits matter! Let’s be kind to the planet, animals and ourselves!
2 min |
July 2018
Sanctuary Asia
You Never Know You Never Know What You Might Find In The You Might Find In The Mixed Bag
Rivers are India’s lifeblood. And protecting these rivers was Latha Anantha’s life’s mission.
1 min |
July 2018
Sanctuary Asia
Did U Know?
The male of my species is one flashy guy! I live in North American shrublands. Who am I?
1 min |
July 2018
Sanctuary Asia
A Sweet New Song!
Deciding whether two animals are the same or a different species frequently leads to debates among scientists. In Rote Island, Indonesia, researchers tried to find the differences between many pairs of closely related birds by simply asking the birds!
3 min |
July 2018
Sanctuary Asia
Counting Butterflies
On a pleasant, sunny winter morning in Delhi this January, a motley crew of researchers and nature enthusiasts strolled through the Asola Butterfly Park, conducting a population count of a particular butterfly.
7 min |
August 2019
Sanctuary Asia
Corbett Diaries
Till Mota Saal Tigress and Cubs Learn to Feed on Social Media Likes
6 min |
August 2019
Sanctuary Asia
Is Realism Helpful?
As poor rainfall and subsequent water scarcity cripple the landlocked African country of Mali, elephants are increasingly visiting watering holes near human settlements. The Mali Elephant Project, launched in 2007 by the WILD Foundation and the International Conservation Fund of Canada, is building systems that motivate local communities to protect forests while improving their own livelihoods.
7 min |